Role Profile

JOB TITLE:                  Assistant Director – Policy and Strategy

DIRECTORATE:           Governance

REPORTS TO:             Director of Governance

DATE:                           Nov2020 

1. PURPOSE OF YOUR JOB

To provide strategic management oversight of the services within the remit of this role and play a key role in  informing  and shaping corporate strategy and priorities; to ensure the robust and effective performance monitoring and promote strong media and PR activity internally and externally.

2. DIMENSIONS

Revenue income            £tbc

Revenue expenditure    £tbc

Direct reports                  tbc

Indirect reports              tbc

3. Principal Accountabilities

· Proactive delivery of the council’s policy, strategy and partnerships function working collaboratively with  [key] stakeholders both internally and externally to respond to local, regional and national  drivers as appropriate;

· Effective and efficient delivery of all projects and programmes linked with policy, strategy and partnership development;

· Oversee and embed the development and implementation of a carbon reduction strategy for the council which delivers the ambtions to become a carbon neutral city by 2030.

· Effective and efficient oversight of all aspects of the Council’s performance management framework including business, economic and demographic intelligence.

· Robust, proactive and effective delivery of a professional and diverse communications. PR and marketing function which delivers internal and external communications activity to improve the council’s reputation and ensure York’s residents, partners, elected members, staff and key stakeholders understand and fully engage with the council’s agenda and priorities.  This includes supporting the promotion of York as a destination for culture and tourism.

· Proactively contribute to the strategic management of the Governance Department

4. JOB CONTEXT

The job role is accountable for a number of key service areas:

o Corporate Policy

o Business Intelligence

o Climate Change

o Communications and Marketing

The remit covers areas of high profile projects and programmes such as devolution, local government reorganisation and Brexit transition.

The postholderholder will need to work collaboratively with the Corporate Management Team and other Chief Officers to ensure there is a consistent and coordinated approach to partnership working.

The role is part of the Departmental Management Team and the job holder actively contributes to its strategic and operational management to ensure delivery of both Departmental and corporate aims and objectives.

This role is part of the emergency panning rota and the job holder is on call for out of hours emergencies.

This role is an Information Asset Owner and must carry out the responsibilities of an Owner as required and set out in the council’s

The role supports the Director of Governance as required (excluding statutory functions).

5. IMPACT &  INFLUENCE

This is a strategic role required to proactively deliver a number of key corporate services across the organisation.

The role is expected to be able to strongly influence and act as an amabassador both internally externally with established and emegerging stakeholders.

This post will be influential in supporting the Corporate Management Team, the Leader of the Council and the Executive so as to enhance, promote and preserve the Council’s global reputation.

6. ORGANISATION

Structure chart to be provided

7. HARDEST MOST DIFFICULT PART OF JOB

Balancing the highly political and operational demands of the competing work areas and delivering solutions in often pressured and time limited periods

8. Knowledge Skills & Experience

The role requires significant experience of senior leadership and management preferably in a political or similar organisaiton. 

The postholder will be educated to degree level or equivalent.

The postholder needs the ability to develop and deliver strategies to meet organisation objectives in a complex multi-functional organisation. The postholder must be able to interpret complex information to develop plans and set priorities. Using high level problem solving skills to analyse information and trends, draw conclusions and prioritise decisions to manage risks in often time sensitive periods.

The postholder must be experienced and highly skilled in the management of resources, large and complex budgets with the ability to identify efficiencies and value for money at a corporate and service level.

The ability to lead and motivate people is critical to ensure delivery of results.  Outstanding interpersonal skills are needed to influence, negotiate and persuade all key partners both internal and external. Experience of developing collaborative relationships and inter-agency working is also important.

The postholder will be highly politically astute.

The postholder will be able to demonstrate robust decision making skills so as to give an assurance of integrity and transparency.

9. additional information

This is a politically restricted post.

The postholder will support the Director of Governance to seek innovative ways to maximise opportunities for teams to work together to bring about improved efficiencies and performance in service delivery.

The postholder and its service area will provide support to help deliver the elections as and when required.